Trade show load for the Salt Palace in SLC. The destination is bad enough . . a tiny lot not built for sleepers. I have been here, first staged and now at final, for exactly 11 hours and their still not done yet!

 

Daylight Trans. S. Hooper St., Los Angeles. Get there at 6PM. "Your load isn't leaving until 6AM or later." Happened every time I had the pleasure of winding through the local streets of the barrio to get there. 12 hours was the minimum, often longer.

At least there was always company around for the wait. Landspan, CRE, Interstate, Werner, Schneider. You get the drift.

I referred to the small lot that they would allow you to wait at as "the dead pool."

The air of resignation was overwhelming.

 

There is no need to spend more than a couple of hours (maximum) waiting to get loaded or unloaded. Until carriers start DEMANDING detention time from shippers and receivers for excessive waiting time, things will continue. I won't sit that long, nor will my trucks without being compensated. If there was a load on the truck it would have been on its way back to the shipper without being paid for sitting. If it was for a pick up, I would be on my way to pick up somewhere else. Carriers don't have to put up with this type of behavior.

 

Anyone mention the docks there in Baltimore???

 

No shite Sherlock! But they do because they couldn't care less. No reason to! The driver is taking the brunt of the hit here. I suppose that this is somehow, also the fault of the driver GMAN?

I don't think that we could find anyone that would disagree with that statement GMAN. Unfortunately, what's a fella to do about it? My carrier didn't care. It was at minimal cost to them. I was being paid zero, and the fact that there are too many power units available to begin with, makes the driver the ultimate loser in this game. Giving away MY time. (well, not anymore)

There is no motivation for these carriers to demand anything as long as drivers are the ones donating their time. I am not slamming you OTR guys, I know that you don't like it, but have no choice in the matter. I have been there! What kind of policy is it that dictates that you only get detention time if the shipper/receiver agrees to pay for it? That is simply not only ridiculous, but unheard of in any industry but our own. Anything to pass the buck on to the driver. It's nothing short of a shame, a big shame.

This probably falls in to the category that some like to label as Belpre122 being anti-OTR yet again. Read again. I'm on your side here! I hate seeing these companies burning OTR drivers. And that is exactly what it is. Exactly.

 

Belpre, you don't seem to understand that it isn't just the drivers who lose money when the truck sits without being paid detention. The carrier loses much more than the driver when their truck sits for free. And no company is going to pay money out unless they receive compensation. The problem is that there are too many carriers who are not willing to address this when they contract with shippers. There always seem to be someone who will come in and be willing to haul a load for less money or sit for free. If you are concerned about being paid to sit, then the time to address this issue is before you accept the job. Ask about their detention policy. If the policy isn't something you can live with then don't take the job. The driver is not a victim here. The driver can leave a carrier anytime they wish. Most carriers are going to be upfront with new drivers. They usually tell you up front what the job entails and the compensation. If you take the job after being told about the compensation then you have no room to complain. Sitting is part of this business. Some segments will sit more than others. Vans and reefers will usually sit more than flats or step decks. There are times when a driver will sit longer than he should. The bottom line is that if you go into this and know what you are getting into then you have no room to complain. Freight doesn't magically jump on and off a trailer. It takes time to load or unload. Your whining has gotten very old. The business is what it is and if you don't like things you can always find something else to do. After all, according to your figures you can make as much working fast food. There are plenty of fast food places needing people willing to work. I guarantee that you won't have to worry about sitting around with nothing to do. And you will be paid for every minute you work, because you will punch a time clock. Instead of constantly whining about how bad otr is try offering some constructive things that will make things better. If I whined and was so negative as you seem to be I would not make it out of bed in the morning. :roll:

 

I didn't think that I was whining there GMAN. Simply offering forth an opinion/thought.

It was you that deemed it necessary to take it to a personal level. I admittedly deserve it sometimes, but I don't think that this was one of them.

 

My monies on the Rangers.